Calcutt Middle School is one of six schools and the only public middle school in Central Falls School District. It has seen a significant decrease in enrolled students between the 2005-2006 school year and the 2013-2014 school year, despite the fact that in 2012-2013 fifth grade was added to the building. This may be due at least in part to the opening of two charter schools in Central Falls in recent years. It's student population is very diverse and a significant portion receive special programs and services.They do offer a variety of programs for students, including Summer Learning Program (RIDE Model Program), Computer Lab, Science NECAP prep, an interactive literacy program, reading writing math interventions, and Credit Recovery (“Programs/Activities,” n.d.).
In the 2005-2006 school year, according to the No Child Left Behind report card, Calcutt was classified as making Insufficient Progress; only 22 of the 29 evaluated targets were met. NECAPs were given for the first time that year and the student population was 842 with 80 teachers. Although data for the ethnic breakdown of Calcutt was unavailable, district-wide 68% of the students were Hispanic, 18% were white and 14% were African American. Per pupil spending that year was $12,744, with 24% receiving bilingual/ESL services, much higher than the 3.7% receiving those services throughout the state. According to the same report 0% of students at Calcutt were receiving special education services, though that seems hard to believe. Of those students, 78% were eligible for free or reduced lunches, while only 33.3% qualified in the state (Infoworks 2006 Calcutt Student Information, 2007). Test results that year showed significant gaps in achievement between Calcutt 8th graders and those throughout RI. 16% of 8th grade students were math proficient, compared with 48% in RI; 27% were reading proficient, against 55% state-wide, and writing proficiency was 18%, significantly lower than the state result of 48%
(Infoworks 2006 Report Card Calcutt Middle School, 2006).
For the 2013-2014 school year, Calcutt's accountability summary led it to be classified as a Priority school, with only 2 of the evaluated targets being met (Infoworks 2012-2013 accountability summary Calcutt Middle School, 2013). The school educated 588 students in grades from 5-8 attend and were taught by 50 teachers. Students' ethnic backgrounds were reported as 71% Hispanic (74% district), 12% white (10% district) and 14% African America n (13% district). Per pupil spending rose to $18,910, an increase of $6,166 per student from the 2006-2006 school year. 94% of its students were eligible for subsidized lunches, compared with 46% in the state; 26% are receiving bilingual/ESL education,compared to 6% state-wide. While 24% of Calcutt students are receiving special education services, 15% are in Rhode Island. In the 2013-2014 school year, 8th graders once again took the NECAP tests in writing, reading and math. 15% of students were classified as proficient in the math, compared with 57% throughout the state. 39% of Calcutt students were proficient in reading, while in RI 74% were; 13% achieved proficiency in writing, while 56% were proficient state-wide (Infoworks 2013-14 Calcutt Middle School information, 2014). Interestingly, those two targets that were met on the NECAPs were reading and math for white students. All other ethnic groups fell below the intended targets.
Given the significant increase in per pupil spending between the 2005-2006 and the 2013-2014, No Child Left Behind and Race To The Top have had an influence at Calcutt. However, whether or not that money resulted in better student achievement can be open to interpretation. Reading scores improved from 27% to 39%, which is significant. However, math scores decreased 1%,and although that is not enough to say they were worse, it certainly is not enough to claim a victory. As for writing, the percentage dropped from 18% proficiency to 13%. If reading scores are the only indicator of success, it could be argued that the additional money served its intended purpose, but adding math and writing to the equation certainly makes success less clear.
Central Falls, and Calcutt Middle school in particular, has a student population that is far more diverse, with more needs than the rest of Rhode Island. Calcutt has seen a significant decrease in student population, though there are still far more students receiving free and subsidized lunches, ESL/bilingual education and special education services than the rest of the state. Given the costs of those services one can see how the per pupil expenditure can be high. When using only NECAP test results to analyze whether that money is being well spent, it appears that the funds poured in through No Child Left Behind and Race To The Top have not achieved what their supporters had hoped.
In the 2005-2006 school year, according to the No Child Left Behind report card, Calcutt was classified as making Insufficient Progress; only 22 of the 29 evaluated targets were met. NECAPs were given for the first time that year and the student population was 842 with 80 teachers. Although data for the ethnic breakdown of Calcutt was unavailable, district-wide 68% of the students were Hispanic, 18% were white and 14% were African American. Per pupil spending that year was $12,744, with 24% receiving bilingual/ESL services, much higher than the 3.7% receiving those services throughout the state. According to the same report 0% of students at Calcutt were receiving special education services, though that seems hard to believe. Of those students, 78% were eligible for free or reduced lunches, while only 33.3% qualified in the state (Infoworks 2006 Calcutt Student Information, 2007). Test results that year showed significant gaps in achievement between Calcutt 8th graders and those throughout RI. 16% of 8th grade students were math proficient, compared with 48% in RI; 27% were reading proficient, against 55% state-wide, and writing proficiency was 18%, significantly lower than the state result of 48%
(Infoworks 2006 Report Card Calcutt Middle School, 2006).
For the 2013-2014 school year, Calcutt's accountability summary led it to be classified as a Priority school, with only 2 of the evaluated targets being met (Infoworks 2012-2013 accountability summary Calcutt Middle School, 2013). The school educated 588 students in grades from 5-8 attend and were taught by 50 teachers. Students' ethnic backgrounds were reported as 71% Hispanic (74% district), 12% white (10% district) and 14% African America n (13% district). Per pupil spending rose to $18,910, an increase of $6,166 per student from the 2006-2006 school year. 94% of its students were eligible for subsidized lunches, compared with 46% in the state; 26% are receiving bilingual/ESL education,compared to 6% state-wide. While 24% of Calcutt students are receiving special education services, 15% are in Rhode Island. In the 2013-2014 school year, 8th graders once again took the NECAP tests in writing, reading and math. 15% of students were classified as proficient in the math, compared with 57% throughout the state. 39% of Calcutt students were proficient in reading, while in RI 74% were; 13% achieved proficiency in writing, while 56% were proficient state-wide (Infoworks 2013-14 Calcutt Middle School information, 2014). Interestingly, those two targets that were met on the NECAPs were reading and math for white students. All other ethnic groups fell below the intended targets.
Given the significant increase in per pupil spending between the 2005-2006 and the 2013-2014, No Child Left Behind and Race To The Top have had an influence at Calcutt. However, whether or not that money resulted in better student achievement can be open to interpretation. Reading scores improved from 27% to 39%, which is significant. However, math scores decreased 1%,and although that is not enough to say they were worse, it certainly is not enough to claim a victory. As for writing, the percentage dropped from 18% proficiency to 13%. If reading scores are the only indicator of success, it could be argued that the additional money served its intended purpose, but adding math and writing to the equation certainly makes success less clear.
Central Falls, and Calcutt Middle school in particular, has a student population that is far more diverse, with more needs than the rest of Rhode Island. Calcutt has seen a significant decrease in student population, though there are still far more students receiving free and subsidized lunches, ESL/bilingual education and special education services than the rest of the state. Given the costs of those services one can see how the per pupil expenditure can be high. When using only NECAP test results to analyze whether that money is being well spent, it appears that the funds poured in through No Child Left Behind and Race To The Top have not achieved what their supporters had hoped.
References:
Programs/Activities. (n.d.). Calcutt Middle School. Retrieved July 23, 2014, from http://calcutt.cfschools.net/programsactivities.html
Infoworks 2006 Calcutt Student Information. (2007). Retrieved from http://infoworks.ride.uri.edu/2007/pdf/ds-usinginfo/04d-info.pdf
Infoworks 2006 equity and adequacy of resources report. (2007). Retrieved from http://infoworks.ride.uri.edu/2007/pdf/ds-insite-bar/04d-expb.pdf
Infoworks 2006 Report Card Calcutt Middle School. (2006). Retrieved from http://www.eride.ri.gov/reportcard/06/ReportCard.aspx?schCode=04115&schType=2
Infoworks 2013-14 Calcutt Middle School information. (2014). Retrieved from http://infoworks.ride.ri.gov/school/calcutt-middle-school
Infoworks State school data. (2014). Retrieved from http://infoworks.ride.ri.gov/state/ri